Book One: Like Old Times
by SeaPatrolIsLife82
Summary: What happens when we meet the Hammersley six years after season 5? Who shows up from Nikki's past as she takes charge of her first command? His initials are C.F.(Hint Hint). Bear in mind that James "Charge" Taylor in the book is not the same "Charge" from Sea Patrol. New Chapter up 6/25/13 UPDATED
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

**1150 HRS. Forenoon Watch**

**Home Port**

"**I can't believe it's been six years since I left Hammersley." says LCDR Nikki Caetano. **

"**Yea, and now your CO." pipes in LT. Rebecca Brown. **

"**I know. It's so exciting! My first command!" Nikki replies. The Hammersley, as most of you know, is the fictional patrol boat most well known in the RAN. We last left the ship after Swain and Capt. Jim Roth's death and Mike and Kate's wedding. But, some crew members we left in seasons 2, 3, and 4. One of them was LT. Nikki Caetano. Since then she has made it to the CO's chair and joining her as XO and NO is newly promoted LT. Rebecca "Bomber" Brown. Also among the returning crew is CPO Jessica Bird, Medic and cook, LS Billy "Spider" Webb, PO Robert Dixon, RO, and CPO Peter "Buffer" Tomaszewski. New crew include CPO James "Charge" Taylor and LS Makayla "Sparks" White, who is the ship's electrical technician and assistant medic.**

**Chapter 1 **

**1450 Watch**

**Arafura Sea**

**The new crew made their way up to the deck, getting ready to board a foreign fishing vessel. While they got in the RHIB, Bird radioed Nikki,**

"**Charlie 82, this is Delta 82. We are getting ready for the boarding." **

"**Roger, Delta 82. Carry on." Nikki replied. Bird, RO, Bomber, Charge, and Buffer climbed down the side of Hammersley into the RHIB. **

"**Welcome back, Buff!" shouted Bomber while giving him a congratulatory pat on the back. **

"**Yeah, glad to be back!" Buffer replies with a smile. The RHIB roared as it skimmed across the water. The crew were up preparing for the boarding. The RHIB reared up beside the fishing boat as it came to a smashing halt. **

"**This is the Australian navy. We are here on the right to uphold Australian law and would like permission to search this vessel." commands Bomber. The owner of the vessel shrugs his shoulders in dismay. **

"**Do you speak English?" questioned Bomber. The man spattered out, **

"**Very little, we are Filipino." Bomber sat thinking about what the man had just said. **

"**Hey RO." Bomber said. **

"**Yeah?" **

"**How is your filipino? Is it good?" Bomber asks. **

"'**Bout as good as my Swahili, ma'am." RO replies with a smirk. "Ok then, never mind" Bomber replied. **

"**Do you and your crew know that you are illegally fishing in Australian waters?" Buffer asked the fisherman. The man just shrugged and shook his head from side to side. **

"**So you are saying that you didn't know that you were fishing illegally?" questioned Buffer. The man cocked his head to the side as if he didn't understand what Buffer was asking him. "Bomber, I don't think that he can understand what I am saying to him." Buffer told Bomber. "Neither do I." Bomber replied. "What do we do?" questioned RO. **

"**Take them into custody, I say." Charge pushed in. "Yes, but not yet. We need to find out why they are here first." said Bird. **

"**Fishing." responded the man. **

"**We work to fish." **

"**What's the company that you work for?" questioned Bomber. "Co-company? I do not know what you mean. You mean my business?" said the man. "Yeah. Do you own this business?" asked Bird. "No, we work for business." he replied. "We fish for lobster and shark. That is what we are told to fish. We not know we were doing wrong." the man said. "What is your name?" said Bomber. "Aneato." replied the man. "Aneato, you and your ship and crew are under arrest." Bomber says. Just then someone darts from the wheelhouse to the back of the ship. "Stop!" yells Bird. Like a bullet from a gun, RO and Bird take off after the strange man. When they get to the back of the boat, just before RO can grab him, the man jumps overboard. For the next 30 minutes they searched all around the ships. Back on the Hammersley, Capt. Caetano debriefs the boarding team. "What in the world went wrong over there!?" Nikki questioned. **

"**We don't know. One minute it's a regular boarding and the next we have an unknown man jumping overboard." Bomber says. Then LS Makayla White popped in the room. **

"**Ma'am, we have an issue in the forward storage locker. The hatch alarm just went off." Sparks (Makayla) said. "Alright, Buffer, get a gun from the armory and meet me on the bridge." Nikki said. **

"**Roger." Buffer said, while Sparks slipped out of the room. 5 min. later Buffer and Nikki are standing in front of the forward hatch. **

"**On my go." Nikki says while drawing her weapon. "Ready? 3, 2, 1, GO!" The door flies open and out comes the **

**Hand of... Campbell Fulton! He grabs Nikki's throat, takes her gun and shoots Buffer in the arm with it. Nikki manages to get loose when Buffer jumps on Fulton, ignoring the pain in his arm. Nikki's able to grab her gun from Fulton's hand. **

"**Shoot him!" Buffer shouts. Nikki steps back, aims, then pulls the trigger. At the same time Fulton jumps up, making the bullet miss his heart and it barrels into his liver, while penetrating through to Buffer's thigh. **

"**Bird I need you to get down here, now! Buffer's been shot!" Nikki shouts into her radio. **

"**Right on it boss!" Bird replies. Bird and Spider appear on deck. **

"**When I say lift we lift, ok? 3,2,1, lift!" commands Bird. "Bird, the fall to the deck knocked him unconscious." Nikki said. **

"**Roger. Pulse 42. you must have hit an artery boss." Bird says. **

"**What about him?" Bird asks while pointing a finger towards Fulton. **

"**Leave him." Nikki says with a cold voice. **

"**But ma'am, he's been shot!" Bird exclaimed. **

"**Leave him! That's an order!" Nikki bellowed. Bird sighed and turned to go help with Buffer. Once she reached the wardroom she immediately started setting up fluids for Buffer. Nikki walked over to where Fulton was laying and crouched down beside him. **

"**You deserve it. You deserve to lay here and suffer, Fulton. You killed Josh and now you will suffer the same way he did." Nikki says with abhorrence in her voice. **

"**Now, now. Why so down, Nikki darling." Fulton says while laughing and reaching up to touch Nikki's face. Nikki briskly slaps away Fulton's hand and says, **

"**Touch me or try to touch me again and I guarantee you won't have a hand anymore!" Fulton gives Nikki an atrocious look. Nikki swiftly stands and walks a few feet. **

"**Bird," Nikki radios, "come get Fulton please, before I kill him." **

"**Right on it boss." Bird acknowledges.**__**Bird hectically rushed up to the deck and lifted Fulton onto a stretcher. Nikki calmly made her way back to her cabin. So much was rushing through her brain, **

"**Fulton shows up, Buffer shot, nearly strangled, the hectic boarding." it was all clustering in her mind. She was so scared, confused, and didn't know what to do. **

"**Maybe if I get a good night's sleep it will all work itself out," Nikki thought to herself. **

**0415 HRS. Morning Watch**

**Coral Sea**

**Nikki walked into the galley to get her a brew. Bomber is already busy on breakfast for the crew. **

"**Good morning boss." Bomber said to Nikki. **

"**Morning. What's for breakfast, Bomb?" Nikki asked. **

"**Eggs, sausage, and biscuits and gravy." Bomber replies. "Mm, sounds good. Keep it going! We're gonna have some hungry sailors this morning after last night's late watch." Nikki says, plastering a fake smile on her face. Nikki thought silently while making her way to the bridge. Robert is sitting in the "officer of the watch chair" while Sparks steers the ship. **

"**Morning boss." Sparks and RO said to Nikki. Nikki stands and keeps her eyes on course. Nikki turns to Sparks and reports a change of course. **

"**Sparks, change course for home port. I need to talk to Captain Flynn." **

"**Wouldn't you rather me call him ma'am?" RO questions. **

"**No! Set course for home port." Sparks turns ands immediately changes course. **

"**Roger." Sparks says simply. The rest of the crew make their way to the galley. Charge notices a slight tilt to the boat. **

"**We're changing course." he says. **

"**What," Bomber replied, **

"**We can't be changing course. RO would have gotten a radio call in from NAVCOM." Because Bird was helping Buffer in the wardroom, she could not cook so Bomber was taking her place. Buffer was now at a stable point, so Bird made her way to the austere check on Fulton. **

"**Uh...oh no..." she said. **

"**Charge...Charge!" she hushed into her radio.**

"**Yes?" he replied. **

"**Come to the austere at the rush!" she said in a hushed voice.**

"**Why?" Charge questioned. **

"**Now!" Bird commanded Charge. When Charge rushed into the austere , he saw Bird crying over Fulton. **

"**What is it?" Charge said, alarmed. **

"**CPR now!" she yelled while pulling herself together. Charged pushed hard on Fulton's chest while Bird used the respirator to force air into his lungs. **

"**Is it working?" Charge asked Bird. Bird snuffles and tried to clear her throat. **

"**No." she says, eyes filling with tears. This was emotional for her because if he died it would have been the first person she would have lost. **

"**Charge... what if we lose him, what if **_**I**_** lose him. I... just, I just couldn't live with myself." Bird says in an affliction filled voice. **

"**We won't." Charge reassures her. After many attempts of trying to resuscitate Fulton, Charge finally brought Bird to conclusions that Fulton had died and that there was nothing that she could have done to stop it. **

"**Yes! I could have stopped if I hadn't left him here alone for so long!" she cried. **

"**You were trying to save someone else, Bird! Buffer deserved to live more than he did, did he not?" Charge said, trying to keep Bird from losing her senses. **

"**They both should have lived!" she screamed. **

"**I don't get it... why could I have not saved him, I should have saved both of them...I'm a killer, Charge. I killed him! Don't you get that!" she yelled with confusion. After Charge explained that she had not killed Fulton, Charge convinced her to radio Nikki. She solemnly clears her throat and talks into her radio,**

"**Boss?" she says in a blunt, scratchy voice. **

"**Yes, Bird?" Nikki replied. **

"**F...F...Fulton's..." Bird sputters. **

"**He's gone?" asks Nikki. Bird tears up and chokes out these words, **

"**My first. He was the first person I lost." **

"**Bird, just understand that it was not your fault, please. Give the radio to Charge." Nikki said. **

"**Yes ma'am?" Charge said. **

"**Take him to the garbage room." she told Charge. **

"**Yes ma'am, right on it." he replied. Charge wrapped Fulton up and loaded him onto a stretcher to take in to the garbage room. Bird silently made her way up to the bridge because Nikki wanted to see her. **

"**Ma'am? You wanted to see me?" said Bird once she had **

**reported to the bridge. **

"**Are you ok?" Nikki asked Bird. **

"**Yes. just a little shaken up, I guess." Bird replied. "Well, if you need to, you can go get some breakfast and a brew and go take and short nap and I can have someone wake you later." Nikki offered. **

"**No thanks, ma'am. Just a brew will be fine. I... I kinda lost my appetite. I'll go check on Buffer and then I...I... I don't know, but I will find something to do." Bird acknowledged. **

"**Ok. But Bird, remember, it was **_**not**_** you're fault." Nikki tells her in a motherly tone. Bird turned to make her way to her room. RO stops her in the hallway. **

"**Are you okay, Bird?" he asks. **

"**Yes. How's your morning been? Mine's been... very...odd." Bird says, uncomfortably.**

"**Okay, so far." he replies. Bird gives him a silent nod and turns towards her cabin. **

"**That was odd." RO mumbles to himself. Charge, Sparks, Bomber, and Spider sit quietly in the Senior Sailors mess eating that morning's breakfast. **

"**Hey, Charge, what happened with Bird this morning?" Spider asked. "We lost Fulton. It was her first so she was all tore up about it, but I got her calmed down." Charge replied. **

"**Oh." Spider said. **

"**Poor Bird. I wish I was there to help comfort her." Sparks replied. **

"**It's okay. She probably wouldn't have handled it any better if you were there." said Charge. **

"**I'm second medic. I should have check on him through **

**the night." Sparks said, gloomily. **

"**Well, it's not your fault or hers, Sparks. So don't stress yourself over it, ok?" Charge told her. **

"**What was it that Fulton did to the boss, anyway?" Sparks asked. **

"**We'll get into that later. Eat." Spider said. Sparks began to eat again as the subject changed to days before Nikki took command. Nikki was now down in the galley, by herself, getting some food. All of the sudden, someone starts to talk. **

"**This reminds you of the time just after Josh died, doesn't it?" Nikki turns to find Buffer leaning on crutches. **

"**Yeah, it does... I miss him so much, Buff." Nikki replies. **

"**I know Nikki, it's hard to let go. Did you know that when I was young, I had a best friend who passed away?" Buffer told her. **

"**Really? Why did he-" she was cut off short with Bird running down the hall, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Nikki! Nikki! Boss! Where are you?!" Bird screams with terror. **

"**What is it?" Nikki says while leaning over the galley counter. Bird pants out 4 agonizing words,**

"**Fulton's body is GONE!" **

**WHAT!? Gone! How can it be gone?" Nikki says, demanding an answer. **

"**I...I don't know ma'am." Bird sputtered out. **

"**Bird... how long was Fulton in the garbage room?" Nikki asks Bird. **

"**About 30 minutes ma'am... you don't think that he..." Bird replied. **

"**Yes I do. Have a complete and thorough search of the ship. Report back to me in two hours." Nikki commanded. **

"**Yes ma'am." Bird said as she left the room to go get a search party ready. She called up Charge, Sparks, Bomber, RO and Spider to help. **

"**Alright," Bird announced, "We are searching the ship in search of Campbell Fulton, whom I suspect you all know. Bomber you and Charge search the engine & generator rooms. Spider, you RO look on the main deck. Sparks, you're with me. Report back here in 2 hours." Bird commanded. The team split up to go their separate ways. Bomber and Charge slowly made their way down to the engine room door.**

"**Are you ready?" Bomber asked Charge. **

"**Yup. On three. 1, 2, 3!" Charge said. Charge then swung open the hatch, their guns at the ready. They searched the area thoroughly until the heard screeching. They both dropped their guns and covered their ears. **

"**One of the pipes is busted!" Charge sounded. The noise sounded like nails on a chalkboard and a boiling tea kettle put together. They grabbed their guns and ran out quickly. "Get out get out!" Charge yells. **

"**Run! Run to the austere!" Bomber orders. Her and Charge rush into the austere just in time. As the door closes, a superheated pipe spews hot steam across the deck. Charge gets burned across his legs and arms. **

"**Bridge, this is Bomber, we have an issue in austere! We need a medic down here, NOW!" Bomber yells into her radio. "Roger." Nikki says into the radio. Nikki orders Bird and Sparks down to the austere. By the time they got there the steam had already settled down to a light fog. **

"**The burns are third degree, heavy ointment will be needed. When we hit home port, you'll be emitted to the hospital and on shore leave for a while." Bird announced while applying ointment and bandages to Charge's arms and legs. They lifted Charge up onto a stretcher and hauled him out, then came back to check Bomber over. **

"**Luckily, your burns are not as severe as Charge's where, though they are still pretty severe." Bird said while applying ointment. **

"**Bird, how are my people?" Nikki asks over the radio. "Charge is gonna have to be medically discharged, but Bomber is okay. Just a few minor 1st and 2nd degree burns across the legs, nothing too horrible, though." Bird radioed. **

"**Ok. Thank you, Bird." Bomber replied. **

"**No big deal. It's my job." Bird says with a reassuring smile. She bandages Bomber up and then says, **

"**Alright, you're all set." **

"**Thanks Bird." Bomber replies. **

"**Like I said to Nikki, it's my job." Bird says again, smiling. Bomber tries to get up but almost immediately falls back down to the seat. **

"**Oh, yeah. Oops, I forgot to tell you that you're gonna have to be on crutches and light duties for a while." Bird says while handing Bomber a pair of dark, wooden crutches. Bomber rolls her eyes, takes the crutches and limps out of the austere. RO then rolls in as Birds starts out. **

"**Well... I was gonna see if you needed any help with Bomber, but it seems I'm too late." RO says with a plain face. Bird smiles and turns to gather the supplies. **

"**Oh, let me help." RO says while pushing in between Bird and the box of bandages and ointment. **

"**It's only ointment and bandages, RO. It's not like I'm carrying a heavy load. Besides, why are you so intent on helping me? Shouldn't you be in your office playing with the radio or something?" Bird replies. **

"**Uh, it's NOT playing. It's work that can only be handled by a VERY intelligent person." RO corrected with a very serious face. **

"**Yeah, I'm sure it is, RO." Bird said with a playful smile. RO picked up the box of medical equipment, turned, and walked up to the wardroom. Bird rolled her eyes and followed him out.**

**HOME PORT**

**1027 HRS FORENOON WATCH**

**Charge and Buffer put on the gurney and loaded onto the ambulance to be taken to a hospital. **

"**So... we didn't solve the mystery of Fulton's body, and 3 of my crew are badly injured, 2 in the hospital. That's fantastic! Just super!" Nikki said in a sarcastic voice. **

"**Sorry, boss." Bomber said coming in on her wooden crutches. **

"**It's okay, Bomber. I don't care about Fulton's missing body, I just feel at fault for what happened to you and Charge." Nikki says. Bomber nods and then her and Nikki hear the voice of Spider chime in, **

"**Boss, the new Chief Engineer is here." **

"**Ok, thank you, Spider." She said. She did a quick double take to look back at the new charge and what she saw... let's say that at the least, it shocked her. She stood to stare and then her knees grew weak. Nikki collapsed to the floor of the bridge with a loud crashing noise. Spider rushed to her side. **

"**Boss! Boss!" he yelled. And quick as a flash, Sparks and the new Charge, Brandon, had already brought a gurney and was loading Nikki onto it. **

**HOME PORT**

**1057 HRS FORENOON WATCH**

"**What is it, Bird? Is Nikki sick?" Charge (Brandon is Charge from now on) said with worry in his voice. **

"**Minor case of Syncope. Pulse 137. Blood pressure 130 over 90." Bird replied. **

"**English please, Bird. Not medic talk, regular people talk!" Charge (Brandon) explained. **

"**Fainted. Not sure what caused it though. Nothing is wrong with her health, just high blood pressure and high heart rate. I think something startled her. Though, once again, I don't know what it was." Bird said with wonder in her voice. Suddenly, Nikki starts to come around. **

"**Nikki? Are you okay?" Bomber asks. **

"**Well obviously not or she wouldn't be in here!" Bird replied back in a frustrated voice. **

"**I...I saw... Josh." Nikki said in a tired voice. **

"**What? What are you saying Nikki?" Bird and Bomber said with puzzled looks on their faces. They both knew who Josh was and were puzzled by her response. Bomber now got a chance to look at Brandon and realised now what she meant. "Wait. Your Nikki? Nikki Caetano? Oh...my...god..." Brandon said trailing off. **

**Yes, why-" Nikki looked up and saw Brandon standing over her. Then, yep, you guessed it, she fainted AGAIN. A few hours later, she woke up yelling out.**

"**JOSH! Josh! Please no, not Josh!" She screamed**

**The thought slowly slipped out of her mind. Tears made soaked puddles on her clothes as she cried. She wanted Josh. She thought that she had FINALLY forgotten him but then she realized to herself, **

'_**I will never, never forget Josh... my husband, in waiting. Forever.' **_

"**Nikki? Are you okay?" Bomber asks as she walks in. **

"**Yea, I'm fine. Just a little..." Her voice trailed off. "C'mon. You need a drink. Bird and I are going out. Wanna come?" Bomber says. Before Nikki can answer, Bomber pipes in again. **

"**Good. Get dressed while I go tell Bird." Bomber says. "But...Oh, fine. I'll go." Nikki says, reluctantly. **

"**Like you had a choice." Bomber replies with a smirk.**


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I know, it not likely that Bird would be a CPO by now and Bomber left the navy, but hey, I can dream. I plan on developing Nikki and Brandon's relationship later. On with the story. Review plz!

CHAPTER 2

NIKKI'S HOUSE

0345 HRS MIDDLE WATCH

A knocking sounds from the door. Nikki struggles to wake, but manages to sit herself up from her face down position on her couch where she had passed out earlier.

"Mmmmhhh... " Nikki murmurs while looking at her clock.

'Who, in their right mind, would be knocking on my door at 15 til 4 in the morning?!' she thinks to herself. The knocking started again and she pulls herself off couch, getting a fleeting look in the mirror as she walks to the door.

"Nikki," the man paused to clear his throat,"It's Brandon. I'm sorry that I made you faint yesterday... I didn't know that you were that Nikki. Nikki Caetano-Holiday." he finished.

'WHAT!? HOW DOES BRANDON KNOW ABOUT THAT!?'

NIKKI'S HOUSE

0347 HRS MORNING WATCH

Nikki screamed in her mind. By now she had her "serious" face on, her mouth gaped with bewilderment and she has a cross between the "death" eyes and the "confused" eyes. She dragged herself off the couch and clenched the door handle for dear life. She slowly turned it and opened the door. Standing their was almost an exact replica of E.T., except the his hair was black, he had blue eyes, and he had much paler skin than E.T. Thought his hair was still curly like E.T.'s and he had the exact same body and face features as him.

'Dear god, I'm seeing double!' she thought

"Come in. You might wanna start explaining before I faint again." Nikki said.

"Alright. Where do I begin." Brandon started.

"How about the part where you look like my dead fiance!" Nikki snapped unexpectedly.

"Yea, I guess I should. I'm Josh's brother. Twin brother. We didn't talk much until a few months before he died. Did he not tell you about me?" Brandon said.

"No. He never said anything about you and you didn't come to the funeral so I didn't know he had a sibling." Nikki replied.

"Siblings. Him and I also have, well, I have a sister, Alicia. She's my younger sister... I didn't know he had died until mom called a few days after. By then he was already gone. Mom told me about you but I never got the strength to come visit. Kinda because of what happened today also." Brandon replies sympathetically.

"Well, this would have been VERY nice information about 18 1/2 HOURS AGO!" Nikki screamed. Her dog, who stayed with her neighbor while she was at sea, lifted his head and looked at Nikki, puzzled. He gave her that "are you ok?" look.

"It's ok, Jackson. Lay down." Nikki said to the dog, a small white beagle. The dog lowered his haunches and folded his head back down into his paws.

"Sorry, Nikki. I...I..." Brandon's voice trailed off in guilt. He moved closer to Nikki and enveloped her in a bear hug. She was too sleepy to resist, and started to sob in his shoulder. He kissed her head and then separated from sat in silence staring at each other. Brandon sat thinking about how lucky Josh was. Nikki was thinking about how much she missed Josh and how much Brandon looked like him. She was roused from her thoughts by her cell phone.

"Hello?" Nikki asked trying to hid the crack in her voice. "Nikki its... are you okay?" Nikki heard her old boss, Mike, saying.

"Yea. Super!" Nikki replied, finally giving up on the battle between her and her emotions.

"Are you sure? I can give the task to the Kingston if you want me to." Mike replied.

"No. Go ahead. What's up?" Nikki asked.

"There's an Australian pleasure boat that sent out a mayday about 35 minutes ago. After that, CoastWatch lost contact with them." Mike said.

"Alright. I'll call the crew." Nikki replied to Mike while gesturing to Brandon to start calling the crew back to the ship.

HMAS HAMMERSLEY

HOME PORT

0437 HRS MORNING WATCH

"Hey Bomber, can I talk to you?" Brandon says while walking aboard.

"Sure. What's up?" Bomber says.

"I think the boss might be a little...uh, distraught when she gets here." Brandon says.

"Why would you say that?" Bomber said, worry showing in her voice.

"I.. went and saw her. She took it better than I expected. But she still cried a little." Brandon said, wincing in preparation for the lashing he was sure Bomber was gonna dish out.

"Okay. Just as long as she doesn't pass out every time you come on the bridge, we'll be fine." Bomber replied, not a hateful tone in her voice.

"Okay..." Brandon said, beginning to worry.

"I see by the look in your eye that you're worried about me not lashing out at you. I'll tell ya why. She's probably so drunk she won't remember a thing. Only she doesn't show that she's drunk as obvious as we do. She'll seem sober, but she's not." Bomber said.

"Okay..." Brandon said, confused. Just then, Nikki walked up onto the bridge, causing Brandon to flinch in surprise.

"What gossip are we spreading today, Bomb?" Nikki asked.

"Oh, nothing, just the usual stuff." Bomber replied.

"Hey Bomb? you might wanna make sure that the door is shut when you're talking about the boss." came a voice from behind. They all turned to find CAPT. Mike Flynn staring at them. "Mike? What are you doing here? You're working with NAVCOM now... aren't you?" Nikki said with shock in her voice. Bomber was surprised at hearing Nikki call Mike by his real name, and not by boss, because she never had before now.

"Yes, I am. But I needed to come and brief you on your mission." Mike said.

"You already told me. I could have briefed them." Nikki said, starting to worry about other reasons that he might have been there.

"I know. But this is of a higher priority. The occupant of the boat is the prime minister." Mike replied.

"Wait, wha?!" Nikki say, becoming more alert than usual. "Yes, I said that the prime minister went out on a boat without her protection detail. I've given the position to RO and I will be accompanying you on the mission." Mike states with a grim face.

"Bomber, lower notice for sea to 15 minutes. Take us to condition red. RO, coordinates. Now!" Nikki says, finally overcoming shock.

"Yes ma'am." They all chorused. "Ma'am, here's the coordinates. The harbormaster has approved our expedited departure time and has allowed us to make a full speed run out of the harbor." RO says.

"Bomber, how many crew are aboard?" Nikki asks, glancing up at the slightly taller woman.

"Uh, 16. Why?" Bomber says, beginning to think that some of Mike's planning skills have worn off on Nikki.

"Because. I wanted to know. RO, expedite our departure time to 6 minutes. Bomber, go ahead and start helping Bird and Sparks prep the wardroom just in case. Brand...Charge, get the engines up and running. Prep them for a high speed run. Move!" Nikki says, finally showing the leader in her. "Aye ma'am." They all chorused as people started to scamper around the ship to bring it to life.

"And RO, bring us to Code 3 urgency for departure to let everyone know how urgent this is." Nikki says. "Yes ma'am." Robert replies.

"Ma'am?" Brandon asked.

"What Brandon?" Nikki replies.

"Uh, about earlier at your house. Um...I don't think I should stay aboard as chief engineer." Brandon says, becoming just a shade paler than E.T. was when Nikki found his body. Her knees started to grow weak as she thought about that day six years ago. A lone tear found a way down her cheek. Luckily no one saw it because she had turned her back to everyone on the bridge. Not like there were that many people on the bridge at this moment anyway.

"Sure. Whatever. I...I need a moment. Alone." Nikki replied as she rushed onto the flag bridge away from him. As she reached the flag bridge and got to the railing, her knees gave out. If it hadn't been her iron grip on the rail she would have hit the deck. She tried to blink the tears in her eyes away but only succeeded in having them leave her eyes to roll down her cheek. She didn't hear Brandon come out onto the deck until he put his hand on her shoulder.

"You alright? Ma'am?" Brandon said, adding the last part subconsciously. "No. I'm anything but. That's what I've been for six years. I've realized that I will never be able to look at a picture of us or of him without breaking out in tears." Nikki says, straining to keep from screaming at him.

"You need to get a grip on yourself Nikki! From what I had heard about you from mom and dad's letters to me you never lost it like this." Brandon replies, grabbing a hold of her arms and spinning her around. By now he could see the river of tears flowing down the smooth skin on her face. He cupped her face with his hand and wiped some of the tears away with his thumb. His other hand almost automatically encircled her waist and drew her into a hug. They didn't see the looks that Mike was giving them from the bridge. He knew this might happen when he saw Brandon's file come across his desk at NAVCOM. He had only hoped Nikki would take it better than she had. But he couldn't address the situation now. By now all the crew had arrived and the sun had come up. The ship had went from a quiet 2 man duty watch to being abuzz with activity in 15 minutes. Nikki had calmed down enough to walk onto the bridge without a slight hint that she had been crying. "Bomber, special sea duty men and cable party close up. Bird, take the helm. RO let the harbor master know we are departing. Brandon, once we clear the dock take up to top speed. Bomber, I'll be in my cabin if you need anything. XO has the bridge." Nikki says and then turns on her heel and walks off the bridge.

"Aye ma'am. On the bridge XO has the ship." Bomber says while the crew looks at the spot where Nikki had just been.

"What is everyone staring at? Have you never seen someone walk off the bridge before?" Bomber says, snapping everyone back to the jobs at hand. But secretly she was probably one of the most worried people on the bridge. But she knew who was the most worried.

HMAS HAMMERSLEY

0542 HRS MORNING WATCH

CORAL SEA

In her rush to get everyone on their job and to get away from everyone, Nikki had failed to notice the coordinates given to RO lead directly to the island where Nikki had found ET's body 6 years ago until now. This brought a fresh wave of emotions onto her. She hadn't been here since they captured Matt and Simone Robsenn at the prawn farm. But she had to force that to the back of her mind. Right now they had to find the prime minister. She made a promise to herself as she sat on the bridge. When they got done with this mission, she was taking a shore posting. Maybe even a position teaching at ADFA. Even though you had to wear those dang whites every day. Apparently she hadn't been paying attention to what was going on around her because she was snapped out of thought by Bird's hand waving in front of her face.

"Ma'am? You okay?" Bird asked.

"Yea. I was just deep in thought." Nikki replied, gaze still fixed dead ahead.

"Hopefully you were thinking something positive." Bomber said, beginning to chuckle. While Bomber and Bird were chuckling at their inside joke, a sudden shout from the flag bridge brought everyone to attention.

"Swimmer in the water!" Cried Spider from the deck.

"Hear their captain speaking, have just sighted swimmer in the water. Prepare to recover by RHIB. Prep the wardroom and launch port RHIB." Nikki said into the PA system as she got up from her chair.

"Where are you going?" Bomber asked "RHIB. I'm leading this one Bomb. Spider, Bird with me."

"Yes ma'am." They replied as Nikki walked off the bridge with the radio.

"Wait up Nikki!" They suddenly heard Mike shout as he turned and raced off the bridge.

HMAS HAMMERSLEY

0610 HRS MORNING WATCH

OFF RED REEF ISLAND

"X-Ray 82 this is Charlie 82, we are approaching the swimmer now." Nikki said into the radio while motioning to Spider to slow the RHIB down. They slowly approach the body floating motionlessly in the water. Bird slowly and cautiously turns the body over.

"It's...Oh my god. Oh my god. Boss...it's..." Nikki walks over to Bird. Nikki's eyes widened and her heart began to sink as she looked down at the dead, pale body of Campbell Fulton. Nikki clasped her hand to her mouth to keep from screaming. She quietly turns around while pulling the radio up to her lips.

"X-Ray 82 this is Charlie 82, we have recovered the body. It's Fulton." Nikki heard a gasp from the radio, but she continued.

"Send Brandon out with the other RHIB. I am NOT riding with this man, dead or alive." Nikki finished with a stern voice. "Yes ma'am." Bomber replied, beginning to worry about Nikki, although she wasn't the most worried person on the bridge. "Brandon, you and RO go and get the body." Bomber said as she turned to face him.

"Aye, ma'am. Come on Robo." said Brandon in a joking voice. "RO or Robert, not Robo." said RO.

"Oh ok, Robo." Brandon said with a chuckle in his voice. RO huffed and angry sigh and turned on his heel to follow Brandon out onto the RHIB.

"ROBERT OR RO!" he said, becoming irritated. Bomber let a light chuckle slip out of her mouth, even though her mind was heavy with worry. She walked up to the railing of the flag bridge and peered out onto the water. She could see, in a distance, Nikki and the others returning on the RHIB. As the RHIB pulled up Bomber asked Nikki in concern,

"Are you ok, boss?"

"Not really, Bomb." Nikki replied storming off to her cabin. Bomber sighed and turned, coming face to face with Brandon and RO.

"Are you ready yet?" Bomber said with irritation in her voice.

"Yes ma'am. RO just wanted to ask you something. I'll be in the RHIB." Brandon said, turning away and practically running from the angry XO.

"But...I...Bye Bomb!" RO said as he ran to catch up with Brandon, almost tripping over his own feet. Bomber gave RO a quizzical look as he ran down the steps to the boat deck. Bomber hastily turns to walk back onto the bridge.

HMAS HAMMERSLEY

CAPTAIN'S CABIN

0645 HRS MORNING WATCH

OFF RED REEF ISLAND

Nikki looks up from the book she's reading when a knock sounds at her door.

"Yeah?" she says with a tone suggesting she'd been crying.

'Me? Crying over a jerk like Campbell Fulton?' she asks herself as the door opens and Brandon walks in.

"You okay Boss?" Brandon asks, setting down on the desk and looking at her with a distraught glance.

"Yeah...No. I don't know. I'm in the middle of a inner self battle, and I think Evil Nikki is winning..." she trails off with a sigh.

"Evil Nikki? I wouldn't think there is such a thing." Brandon says as he moves to sit on the bunk with Nikki.

"Trust me, there is. The hole in Fulton's liver, that was me. Only mildly mad. Just think what would happen if he'd made me really mad." She said, snuggling into his shoulder, causing him to blink in surprize. He knew she was comfortable around him now, but he didn't think she was THAT comfortable. He overcame the shock after a second.

"RO and I have stored the body in the garbage room. Mike said that if you wanted to we could head back to port. The Kingston and Melbourne are taking over the search." Brandon says, resting his chin on her head. She brought her legs up to her chest and laid her chin on her knees, effectively knocking Brandon off his perch.

"Sure. Give the order." She says, getting up and walking over to her desk.

"You know the crew are really worried about you. It might be better if you gave the order." He said as she pulled on her robe over her uniform.

"Do you think is the best attire to give the order?" Nikki said, referencing her robe.

"Sure. But you need to add slippers to make it look better." He said as he walked out of her cabin. Nikki followed him out a few seconds later with her combat boots replaced by a pair of pink slippers.

"Nik? What in the world?" They heard Bomber say as they started up the stairs to the bridge. Nikki turned and walked back down the stairs, Brandon not far behind.

"I figured I'd go for the relaxed look tonight." Nikki said, flashing one of her rare wide grins that could light up a room. Bomber stared for a few more seconds then turned on her heel and began walking back to the galley, mumbling under her breath.

"The incoherent mumblings of a madwoman." Brandon said as he resumed his journey up the stairs to the bridge.

HMAS HAMMERSLEY

0728 HRS MORNING WATCH

EN ROUTE TO CAIRNS

The Hammersley raced through the choppy waters off Red Reef Island as the storm clouds unleashed a torrent of rain and wind producing waves that tossed the ship and her occupants around.

"Approaching sea state 4. Captain, we can't handle anymore! We need to find shelter!" Brandon shouted to Nikki as an alarm went off on the marine link console.

"Dang! We just lost an auxiliary generator!" Brandon said, grabbing a flashlight and rushing down the stairs.

"Someone likes to take the initiative." Nikki said under her breath. Suddenly she began to feel a little queasy.

'Somethings not right here.' she thought to herself. She got this feeling before something bad happened.

"XO has the bridge!" Nikki said as she jumped from her chair and raced down the stairs, discarding the robe on the back of her chair. As she raced down the stairs and swung open the door, the knot in her stomach grew tighter. Holding on to the railing of the hallway, she started down the hall, but she wasn't sure of where. When she heard a yell come from the area of engineering, her face went pale.

'Please don't let me have to bring home another dead Holiday.' she thought she ran down the hall to the generator room. She entered the room and began frantically searching it for any sign of Brandon. She found him sitting on the floor holding his foot.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she crouched down to examine his foot.

"Yeah. Just grazed my foot on the generator." He said, quickly retracting his foot to keep her from touching it.

"You're wearing combat boots! How can you hurt your foot by grazing a generator?!" Nikki says, mentally noting the knot getting tighter and his foot starting to swell.

"Not graze, kick actually. I was walking over here and we got hit by a wave that caused me to kick the generator." He said.

"Oh my god. You are worse than a child." She said, grabbing his leg to look at his foot.  
"Ow! Stop." He exclaimed, yanking his foot away from her.

"We could have Bomber look at it. She won't be gentle and she has an iron grip." Nikki said, moving over to the intercom.

"Bird can. Not you. Or Bomber. You're not gentle enough."

"Fine" she replied, concern replacing the humor in her eyes. She stood up and stumbled over to the intercom. "Bird, get a medkit and get to the generator room. Brandon kicked the generator." she said. "He what?!" Bird yelled into the phone. Nikki stood there listening and chuckling at Bird mumbling some Italian words under her breath that Nikki taught her. "On my way Boss." "Roger Bird."


End file.
